Everyone worries about the transition to college life, especially when that college is over 500 miles from home. You have to start over in terms of friendships and routine, while maintaining your grades. For someone with Asperger’s Syndrome, this transition was more than just adjusting to the new environment; it also meant transitioning to the people who would live with me for the next four years.

We were vacationing at a time-share condo complex a few years ago when our Asperger's (AS) son, Marc, was 15 years old. Marc is an attractive young man with an upbeat, positive and friendly personality. He is small in stature for his age, and often is more comfortable hanging out with younger kids who have similar interests.

His faux leather jacket, jeans, white t-shirt and emerging dark facial hair appearance could cause suspicion, but not to anyone who knows Marc. The parents of his younger friends have never expressed concern about Marc, except for his habit of leaving his bike, kayak, and fishing equipment out in their yards.

The purpose of this piece is to share my experiences as a child with Asperger’s Syndrome (AS). For those of you who don’t know what AS is, it is a condition that some people are born with. People with AS are usually incredibly smart and have creative, perceptive minds. Aspies (people with AS) usually have a few special interests that can get pretty intense. Sometimes, Aspies have a hard time discussing topics other than their special interests. AS can also impact how one functions in various social situations. More often than not, Aspies have a hard time coping with loud noises and bright lights. It can also be hard for Aspies to decipher the difference between a strict and a malicious tone of voice. Because of all of the challenges Aspies face, it can be hard for us to make friends or interact with other people. With the help of my family, friends, doctors, and teachers, I am learning how to not only cope, but thrive, with Asperger’s Syndrome. I have been asked several questions about life with AS over the years, and I will now attempt to try and answer some of them.

"How will I know when it's time to tell my children about their Asperger's/Autism diagnoses?""What should I say if my child asks me a question about autism?""Won't it just hurt his self-esteem to know a diagnosis? How does having a label help?""What's the best way to tell my children about their diagnoses? What shouldn't I do?"

Parents call AANE with these and similar questions everyday. They want to help their children understand themselves--understand how their diagnoses may affect them--but they also worry about what happens next. I posed the question of why parents should tell their children about an Asperger's diagnosis to my 18-year-old son, Noah, who was diagnosed with Asperger's when he was 3 years old. With the help of our dog, Lavender, this is what he had to say…